Flutter valve



Aug. 14, 192s. w'oas:

M.l YABLlcK FLTTER VALVE Filed Nov. 5, 1924 Patented Aug. 14, 19:28.

UNITED STATES 1,680,757 1PA-TENT orifice.

MAX YABLICK, orY NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNoR ro MINE SAFETY APPLIANECOMPANY, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or nENNsYLvANIA.

FLUTTER VALVE.

This application is a continuatiqn-inart of my application Ser. No.552,529 led Apr; 14,1922. d y

This invention relates to one-way valves lil of flexible material andmore specifically to improvements upon the type of valves commonly knownas flutter valves which are i extensively employed in gas masks for thedischarge of exhaled air therefrom, al-

' 10 though'not necessarily limited to such use.

It is customary to provide means in connection with respirators or gasmasks to readily permit outflow of the exhaled air. This means shouldpositively and effectively 'close during inhalation to prevent admissionof air therethrough, so that the air which is breathed in is takenentirely from the fresh air compartment or through the air' purifyingmeans as the case may be.

for this purpose consisted of a bag of soft, liable rubber, connected atone end with a tting through which the air is exhaled, and provided withslits at the other end. The

'25 walls of the bag were arranged to lie directly one upon the other,and inexhaling, the walls separated suiiciently to permit the air topass therethrough and out through the, slits. In inhaling, the naturalarrangement of the walls together with the suction caused by inhalingpulled' the walls of the tube or bag tightly together and preventedentrance of air therethrough. V

One of the disadvantages of this t pe of 35 valve is that it does notafford a solute safety against the entrance of atmospheric airtherethrough into the mask when the wearer. inhales. Thus, if solidparticles, such as sand, grit, etc., become, lodged be- 40. tween thewalls of the bag,the valve will not close tightly and therefore fail tofunction roperly. The necessaryprotection is thus ost.

Another disadvantage of this type of valve is that when placed upon thetting 4of the mask through which the exhaledair passes, the valveprojects a considerable distance 'beyond the facepiece of the mask, thusgreatly interferring with the freedom of movement ofthe wearer.Thisdisadvantage is further accentuated bythe fact that these valves ofpliable rubber are almost invariably protected. by a surrounding frameof rigid material, such as metal, .and this 'S55 rigid framev alsoprojectslbeyond the face-1v The flutter valve heretofore employed pieceofthe mask atA even a greater distance than the valve itself.

In my co-pending application Ser. No. 552,529, I have disclosed animproved valve which overcomes these disadvantages and when this Valve`is placed upona `gas mask or respirator renders it more compact andmore' efficient.

The present invention consists in a combnation of the valve disclosed ininy co-pending application with a sound-intensifying construction,preferably embodied in one of the walls of the flutter valve. The objectof having ,this sound-intensifying portion is to render-audible thewords or sounds produced within them kby the wearer and thus add totheeciency and comfort of the mask. f A A Otherz further and morespecific objects of the invention will become readily ap parent topersonsskilled in the art from a consideration of the followingdescription taken in `conjunction with the4 drawings, wherein: j

Fig. l is a perspective view of a preferred formof my device.

Fig. 2 is a section through the center of f the valve, showing theposition of the walls of the valve when in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2, show- 85 ing the position of thewalls when air is being exhaled through the valve. L l Fig. 4 is amodification showing specific means for adding rigidity to the neck.

Fig 5 is a modification illustrating the use of a perforated diaphragmat they base of the neck of m device. l

. My preferre device comprises the bagshapedr construction of theordinary flutter valve Ihaving the walls land 2 of exible or liablematerial, which is usuallymolded rub er. The walls are joined at theiredges, except at the openings 3 and 4. To one` of these walls isattached a neck 5 at a right angle or other angular relationship,preferably integral therewith y'and of the same material, and this neckis adapted to be placed over the litting'of the mask through which airis exhaled. The walls lkand 2 are `also preferably integral at the edges6,v 7 and 8,- the smaller edges 9 being cemented at 10. l l

When exhaledr air from the mask enters the valve through the neck f5,the walls 1 and 2 will separate as shown in Fig. 3, 110( and the airwill passout through the openings or lslits 3 and 4. On inhalation,suction occurs at the'neck 5 of the valve and the walls 1 and 2 willclose together as shown in Fig. 2. The base 11 of the neck 5 forms aseat against whichthe wall 2 is drawn, thus closing the valve againstincoming air. Ordinarily, when the wearer of a 'mask equipped with thisvalve inhales, the lbase '11 and wall 2 constitute the valve-closingmechanism, but if for any reason these parts should fail to functionproperly or perfectly, an additional protection is provided by theextendedwalls 1 and 2, since any suction at the base will cause thewalls 1 and 2 to come together at the slits as in the ordinary fluttervalve. It is, therefore, clear that my device provides additionalprotection to that aorded by the ordinary flutter valve.

When the wearer of an ordinary gas mask talks, the sound of the voice isconsider.

ably decreased, and is in most cases practically inaudible. In order toamplify this sound, I have provided my flutter valve with I asound-intensifying portion 12, which is preferably disposed adjacent tothe base 11 of the neck 5. This sound-intensifying portion may consistof a disc secured to the wall 2 of the valve by an adhesive or othersuitable binding means, or else this portion of the wall may behardened, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The sounds produced within the maskwill cause the hardened portion 12 or sound-intensifying disc to vibrateand thereby amplify the sounds to a material extent and render audiblesounds which otherwise could not be readily heard.

In the construction shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the base 11 of the valveis thickened so as to add rigidityfto the neck of the valve. In theconstruction shown in Fig. 4, added rigidity is produced by means of aninner tube 13 of metal which may be the fitting of the mask over whichthe neck of the valve is placed. This tube 13 mayv extend below the wall1 so as to engage with the bottom wall 2 or the disc 12 attached theretoto4 form the valve-closing"mechanism. In the illustration the tube 13does not extend so as to engage the wall 2 or vibrating member 12 whichengages the base 11 of the neck to form the auxiliary valve-closingmechamsm.

In the construction shown in Fig. 5, a perforated disc 14 of metal,-hard rubber or other suitable material is attached to the wall so as toembrace the opening from the neck 5 of the valve to the portion betweenthe walls 1 and 2. This serves as a ,means for preventing indentionV ofthe wall 2 or'more specifically the sound-amplifying portion 12 of thewall 2 when suction is taking place in the valve.

i Using my device, the neck 5 is placed over the littlng of the maskthrough which the i would fail to give the necessary security, but

with my valve the additional valve-closing mechanism would afford theproper protection against 'inhaling air therethrough. Also, theadditional sound-amplifying means enables the wearer to speak so as tobe readily heard and understood.

The present invention is' not limited tothe specific details set forthin the foregoing examples which -should be construed as illustrative andnot by way of limitation, and in view of the numerous modificationswhich may be effected therein without departing from the spirit andscope of this invention,l

i-t is desired that only such limitations be imposed as are indicated inthe appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

A'1. A flutter valve comprising a pair of walls, one of said wallsincluding a vibrating, sound-intensifying portiongg and the other wallbeing provided with` a neck at an angle the eto and the base of saidneck being adapted o engage with the first-named wall to form avalve-closing mechanism and means at the base of said neck for guardingthe wall having the sound-intensifying portion against excessive inwardindention by suction.

2. In a flutter valve, a flattened bag of pliable rubber slitted alongthe edge near an end thereof and forming a valve-closing mechanism, onewall of said bag including a vibrating, sound-intensifying portion andthe other wall being provided with a neck at an angle thereto and thebase of said neck being adapted to engage withfthe firstnamed wall toforman auxiliary valve-closing mechanism and' means at the base of saidneck for guarding the wall having the sound-intensifying portion againstexcessive inward indention by suction.

3. A flutter valve of exible material comprising a pair of walls, one ofsaid walls including a vibrating, sound-intensifying pliable rubberslitted kalong the edge near an end thereof and forming a valve-elosingmechanism, one wall of said bag including a vibrating,sound-intensifying portion and the other Wall being provided with a neckintegral therewith and at an angle thereto and the base of said neckbeing adapted to engage with the first-named Wall to form an auxiliaryvalve-closing mechanism and of said neck.

' 5. In a flutter valve, a -flattened bag of pliable rubber slittedalong the edge near an end thereof and forming a valve-closingmechanism, one wall of said bagincluding a vibrating, sound-intensifyingportion and y a metallic perforated diaphragm at the base 4the otherWall being provided with a neck at an l`angle thereto and the base ofsaid 1 neck being adapted to engage with the rstnamed wall to form anauxiliaryl valve-closing mechanism and means at the base of neck foradding rigidity thereto.

said neck for guarding the Wall having the sound-intensifying portionagainst excessive inward indention by suction and means for addingrigidity to said neck.

6. In a flutter valve, a attened bag lof pliable rubber slitted alongthe edges near an end thereof and forming a valve-closing, mechanism,one Wall of said bag including a Vibrating, sound-intensifying portionand the other Wall being provided with a neck integral therewith and atan angle thereto -and the base of said neck being adapted to engage Withsaid disc to form an auxiliary valve-closing mechanism, a metallicperforated diaphragm at the base of said neck and stiffening means atthe basel of said In testimony whereof I affix my 'signature.

MAX YABLICK.

